Customs’ crackdown on smugglers in Adamawa, Taraba nets N195.7m

The Customs Comptroller Adamawa and Taraba states Command, Garba Bashir, has declared war against smuggling activities in the command.

To this end, the Bashir-led administration in the command has generated N195, 719,930 million as duty paid value on seized petroleum products within four months.

Addressing journalists recently in Yola, Comptroller Bashir noted that the illegal exportation of petroleum products has caused untold hardship on the citizens and the nation at large.

“This is a critical period of our national life and all hands must be on deck to support the government because we cannot afford to get it wrong at this point in time of our national history,” he said.

The comptroller maintained that the persistent menace of economic sabotage through the smuggling of petroleum products remains a threat to the national economy and the collective well-being of Nigerians.

“This illicit trade underlines our domestic fuel supply chain and also poses a direct challenge to our national security,” he added.

The Customs boss insisted that, “Despite the well articulated economic reforms of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to ensure adequate domestic supply of petroleum products and stabilise the energy sector, some unpatriotic elements, driven by unconscionable profit motives, remain determined to undermine these efforts through increasingly complex smuggling operations across our borders.”

Bashir pointed out that the activities of the smugglers have constituted a direct assault on the country’s economy, depriving millions of Nigerians of the essential products meant for domestic consumption.

“It should be emphasised that these products intended for domestic use were being systematically diverted to neighbouring countries through illegal routes and waterways.”

He pointed out, “Let be clearly understood that the Nigeria Customs Service remains resolute and unshakeable in its mandate to protect our national economy and maintain the interigity of our borders,” even as he vowed to sustain the deployment of additional resources and “adopt more stringent measures to ensure that saboteurs find no safe haven in the command to operate.”

During the period under review, the command also disclosed that it seized tankers, trailers, and other vehicles conveying petroleum products and other illegal items like elephant tusks and alcoholic products.

The Adamawa and Taraba command for the first time it is prosecuting suspects at the Federal High Court in Yola.